Sheffield City Council Archives - Planning Design Ltd

Delayed and dismantled – Sheffield Shipping Containers run aground

22nd February 2023 by Gary Stringer

In November, an article surrounding the changes in Sheffield’s nightlife economy was published, looking at the growing variety of events, mixed-use spaces and quirky developments being experienced by those visiting Sheffield city centre. Since then, one of the main developments mentioned, the Steel Yard Shipping Containers, has been closed and is being dismantled due to a series of controversies, a lack of profit and Council errors in the erection of the containers.

The previous article detailed the optimism and excitement we felt for this the new, mixed-use, alternative development in the city centre. Steel Yard planned to utilise steel shipping containers to ensure sustainability – steel being synonymous with the city and a more sustainable alternative to brick and cement. It was envisaged that the development would boost the regeneration of the Fargate area with initial investment into the development intended to help the recovery of the post-pandemic economy in the city centre, driving footfall and providing a boost to the night time economy.

Consisting of eight units, the pop-up spaces would help independent businesses gain a foothold and raise their profiles within the city centre, together with introducing green infrastructure, outdoor seating, food vendors, a sports bar and much needed city centre public toilets.

However, the development was hit with controversy. The opening was delayed by 3 months, from July 2022 to October due in part to the discovery of underground water pipes on the site. This exacerbated existing problems. There were unplanned relocation costs to maintain sewer access, which raised total costs to £420k from the original £300k. Additionally, the council were spending £17k a month on top of £10k to cover fuel and hire a generator because mains power cables were removed. This led to further building work being paused, unfilled units and the bar on the first floor never opening. By early 2023, businesses were told they had less than 3 weeks left to trade as the whole park was to be closed by January 30th.

In light of the decision to dismantle the Steel Yard Shipping Containers, the Strategies and Resources Committee at Sheffield City Council are discussing three options for the future of the containers, including; relocation to an area near the Sheffield Train Station, reuse within the community or sale of the units. With the dismantling of the containers expected to take until March to complete, organisations will be able to submit an application for the future of the units ahead of the Council’s decision on the proposals in April. The preferred option for the containers is for use within the community, with a recommendation to move them to a city centre park to provide public toilet facilities and a café. This will allow local community groups to improve facilities and improve a local park to create a longer-term positive use for the city.

The dismantling and removal of the Shipping Containers will make way for the £15.8 million revamp and redevelopment of Fargate as a whole. This focusses on renewing and reshaping the city centre in a way that drives growth, improves experience and ensures future sustainability. This will be completed with funding from the Future High Streets Fund to implement landscaping, green planting, seating areas and landscaping.

We look forward to watching how Fargate can develop into a sustainable, enjoyable and transformative landscape within the city centre, as well as discovering the positive future for the relocated Shipping Containers.

With an office at Park Hill we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients and projects in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Planning permission for new Sheffield apartments

28th November 202222nd March 2022 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice is delighted to have secured planning permission for 8 apartments on land at Cross Street, Sheffield. The proposed development includes the erection of a two-storey building and the extension and change of use of an existing two-storey building, as well a bin/bike store, parking area, landscaping, and outdoor space.

The application site is located on the eastern side of the Market Square in Woodhouse shopping centre, which is defined in the Sheffield Unitary Development Plan as a ‘District Centre’. A mixed-use area comprising of a range of commercial uses on the ground floor, and residential uses on the upper floors. The existing buildings on the site are 2 and 3 storey stone faced domestic style, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. The site is set back approximately 15m off Cross Street and elements of the site are within the ‘District Centre’ designation.

The development seeks to make effective use of brownfield land in a sustainable location close to a range of services and facilities. The design of the site establishes a strong sense of place along Church Lane whilst optimising the potential of the site to accommodate and sustain an appropriate amount / mix of development to support local facilities and transport networks; creating a development that is safe, inclusive, and accessible by design.

The Planning Officer concluded that residential development would “not prejudice the dominance of preferred retail uses” in the District Shopping Centre and would “assist the aims of the Core Strategy in providing new homes in a sustainable, brownfield location, within an existing centre, at an appropriate density”. Given that Sheffield City Council is currently unable to demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply, the “tilted balance” set out in the National Planning Policy Framework was applied and the officer attributed significant weight to the contribution the proposal would make to the supply of homes in Sheffield.

With an office at the Workstation, and with numerous clients and projects in the area we are proud to have a close connection with Sheffield. Please get in touch for advice on local planning & development.

Two Years of success in the Steel City

28th November 202217th November 2021 by Gary Stringer

Michael Bamford, Director at Planning & Design Practice Ltd reflects on two years of success in the Steel City as we celebrate the second anniversary of our Sheffield office.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd opened the doors of its new Sheffield office in September 2020. Two years on and a lot has changed. Clearly the Pandemic has been a significant part of everyone’s life over the past 2 years and continues to be. Like many businesses we were nervous of how things would unfold economically and the impact Covid would have on the construction industry. This nervousness was not misplaced but so far, the impact hasn’t manifested the way many of us expected it too.

After the initial shock at the start of the first lock down the number of enquiries and planning applications has increased. For many of us, the Pandemic has meant we have been busier not quieter, and Sheffield is by no means an exception to this, the property market has been impressively strong throughout the pandemic and investments into the city have continued despite the uncertainty. The loss of some significant retailers is yet to be felt but the city is growing, and confidence is high, growth which is reassuringly above the average for the rest of the country. The £0.9m grant for improvements to Fargate will only help to drive this.

The recent award to Sheffield, which saw the Steel City named the most sustainable city in the UK by researchers from the University of Southampton, (and as reported by the Independent Newspaper) is testament to how Sheffield is doing things differently. The focus on renewable energy production across the city and the prospective introduction of the clean air zone are all moving Sheffield in the right direction, and it is good to see this recognized. Investment into safe cycle ways across the whole of the city is still lagging behind and anecdotally, the take up of public transport post pandemic remain much lower, whilst private car use appears to be on the increase. I hope the award becomes a catalyst for further change and investment into sustainable measures across the city.

It has been a particularly interesting 2 years for us. We have had a number of significant new Clients come on board with us. Not least Microsoft for whom we have been advising on two major applications for new offices and new laboratories. The new offices, when built will be one of the most sustainable buildings in the country and will serve to push the boundaries of rural office accommodation. As Planners and Architects, sustainability is at the core of what we do, and it is always exciting when the theory is put into practice and realised. We are optimistic that Sheffield will see significant growth over the next 3-5 years, and it is our hope that we can grow with it.

With an office at the Workstation, a member of Sheffield Chamber, and with numerous clients and projects in the area we are proud to have a close connection with Sheffield. Please get in touch for advice on local planning & development.

Michael Bamford, Director – Chartered Town Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

The new £40m Sheffield skyscraper ‘The Meridian’

29th November 202221st September 2021 by Gary Stringer

With an office in Sheffield, and a close connection to the region, we’re interested to see that a planning application has been submitted for the development of 336 flats as part of a new £40m skyscraper, ‘The Meridian’ on a wedge-shaped plot between Queens and Farm roads and backing on to Grosvenor Casino on the edge of Sheffield city centre.

The Meridian Build to Rent scheme – a major residential development in the Sheffield Midland Station and Sheaf Valley Development Masterplan – will contribute significantly to the housing requirements of central Sheffield. The scheme will support the regeneration of this important part of the city, also improving public spaces through landscaping and design, attracting significant economic, social and environmental benefits to Sheffield, and promoting its reputation as a leading national destination.

Sheffield-based Bond Bryan designed The Meridian to have three adjoining towers, of 23, 17 and 10 floors. The tenth floor tower will have a roof garden with spectacular views over the city centre.

Once complete, the scheme will be situated just a five-minute walk from Sheffield’s Midland Station and a ten-minute walk from the city centre including Sheffield’s main shopping and entertainment districts, with parks, outdoor spaces, and both Universities also nearby.

It will be targeted at long-term renters and will also have a concierge reception, residents’ lounge and gym.

Developer Godwin Developments hopes it will play a part in Sheffield City Council’s £1.5bn plan to regenerate the Sheaf Valley. The area around Granville Square is earmarked for housing.

The 1.1-acre brownfield site has been vacant for many years but is hidden behind a long stone wall.

Bond Bryan was supported by fellow Sheffield Property Association members Urbana Town Planning and RLB.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd has a close connection with Sheffield, having long maintained an office in the city and with numerous clients and projects in the region. In 2019 the company made a significant investment in their presence in Sheffield with a move to new premises at The Workstation, the city’s leading business centre for creative talent and innovation in the heart of its thriving Cultural Industries Quarter. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Prestigious new hotel checks into Sheffield’s City Centre

29th November 202222nd June 2021 by Gary Stringer

Just a short walk from our Sheffield office, a new 154-bedroom hotel has been granted permission in Sheffield’s City Centre. The development is being delivered jointly by Sheffield City Council and its strategic development partner Queensbury, with construction firm McLaughlin & Harvey working on the construction. The hotel will form a new addition to the international hotel group Radisson Blu.

The development is to be situated on Pinstone Street, opposite the Sheffield Peace Garden’s and behind the Victorian facades of City Mews and Palatine Chambers. To the rear is Barker’s Pool House which is scheduled for a phased demolition and will be replaced with a new complimentary building, which will house most of the new hotel’s bedrooms.

The design statement produced by HLM architects shows that the material palette for the Hotel’s front facing elevation will look to compliment the retained Victorian facade, with the colour-preserved, copper mansard roof mirroring the red brick.

The plans also show that at the front end of the hotel, ground-floor restaurant and retail units will be included. As well as a courtyard space between the two buildings. A rooftop bar and terrace are also part of the plans, which will provide views over the Peace Gardens. The new hotel forms a key part of Sheffield City Council’s Heart of the City Programme, which is intended to help promote the Sheffield an attractive destination for business and leisure.

The decline of the Highstreet has been exacerbated by the global pandemic, which heightens the need for the Council to deliver good-quality development that will encourage people into the city centre and aid the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

However, the development has faced some criticism from members of the public who had expressed concern about the removal of public art murals, including a frieze created by William Mitchell, which was felt to be an important part of Sheffield’s culture and history. The Council has since committed to reinstalling the piece in a public place, as part of the Heart of the City II scheme. The entire hotel development is expected to be complete by Summer 2023.

With an office at The Workstation we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients and projects in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Main Image: Sheffield City Council

Sheffield 2021 and beyond – Post Covid developments

29th November 202219th January 2021 by Gary Stringer

To say that the Covid pandemic caused uncertainty and unprecedented disruption is an understatement. However, the signs are good that 2021 will see ambitious projects come forward to transform the Sheffield skyline, which may see developers reusing and repurposing existing buildings as well as creating new landmarks for the city of Steel.

The planned extension of the Meadowhall shopping centre is set to continue, albeit in a revised form in response to the pandemic and the ever-increasing dominance of online retail. Part of a series of measures submitted by British Land to grow and reposition the centre, the amended proposal is smaller than the £300m extension approved in 2018 but will still see the creation of a £150m Leisure Hall on part of the red and yellow car parks, featuring new shops and a ’new, aspirational food and drink offer’ that has been estimated could support up to 1,560 jobs new jobs.

Sheffield City Council have approved plans to build a 39-storey skyscraper on High Street, in the Castlegate area. The former Primark store will be demolished to make way for the 206-apartment block named Kings Tower.

Builders have also broken ground on the £20million Vista project, near the bus station in the city centre. Vista will be a 16-storey building with 241 beds, which will expand the city’s existing student accommodation.

Speaking of students, construction of a £65m Sheffield University building which had to be torn down due to defective foundations is set to recommence. BAM said ‘deconstruction’ and re-piling of the social sciences building, were finished – subject to checks – and work would commence ‘shortly’.

Heart of the City II, Sheffield City Council’s flagship project to deliver a long-awaited commercial, leisure, retail and residential focal point to the city centre is also making progress. Construction continues on Block ‘B’ Burgess House and Athol House and Block ‘C’ Isaacs House on Pinstone Street.
Proposals to introduce upmarket hotelier Radisson Blu have also been approved by the Local Planning Authority, which is proposed to be located off Palatine Chambers on Pinstone Street.

A trio of social enterprises have submitted a £350,000 bid to revamp the historic Leah’s Yard, within the £480m Heart of the City II scheme. The council says it wants to maintain the site’s ‘unique Sheffield character’ and provide a new ‘maker’ space.

Elsewhere Sheffield University’s four-storey new home for its Faculty of Social Sciences is under construction on the edge of Broomhill, and the striking red frame of the former Embrace nightclub is set to be replaced by a ‘playful reinterpretation’ of its former incarnation, the Regent Theatre.

The new owner of Sheffield’s Old Town Hall, Developer Efe Omu has permission to convert the 212 year old listed building into apartments, a hotel and a market. Built in 1808, the landmark building has had five extensions and was also used as a court for many years, before closing in 1996.

The former HSBC site on Tenter Street, comprising five big buildings, are now collectively called Pennine Five. Acquired by RBH for £18m, they have announced £30m plans to turn it into a new ‘commercial campus’.

In the summer of 2020 Godwin Developments announced plans for a block of flats near Sheffield station – kickstarting the city’s biggest ever regeneration project. Intended as the first piece in a hugely ambitious £1.5bn project to redevelop the Sheaf Valley area and announced by Sheffield Council in March, it would see the closure of Park Square roundabout. Sheaf Street – the dual carriageway that runs in front of the station – would swap places with the tram route that runs behind. A new pedestrian bridge would link Park Hill with Howard Street and the multi-storey car park on Turner Street would be demolished and relocated. Up to 12 office blocks are planned, employing up to 3,000 people. In addition up to 1,000 flats and houses could also be built, with the area around Queens Road designated a new residential centre called ‘Sheaf Gardens’.

Main Image : Heart of the City II

New website showcases ‘the heart’ of Sheffield City Centre

29th November 20224th November 2020 by Gary Stringer

Sheffield – like many other cities in England – is working hard to try and protect the viability of city centres by proposing new development and regeneration. ‘The Heart of the City’ project, first announced in 2004, was introduced to masterplan the city centre and bring about redevelopment to areas that were experiencing declining footfall. The plans have been long awaited, having stalled due to recession in 2008, but some of Sheffield City Council’s ideas have finally come to fruition.

Redevelopment is now visibly taking place in Sheffield as The Moor boasts an open space with a range of shops on offer with more in the works from Sheffield City Council and its development partner, Queensberry. Queensberry have recently sought planning consent to change the exterior facade of the historic Gaumont building and neighbouring buildings to improve the Barkers Pool area as part of the ‘Heart of the City II’ Masterplan.

As progress continues, the Heart of the City II Masterplan has released a new website to showcase the redevelopment plans that will come forward in Sheffield, giving direction to residents and businesses.

The website details their design principles which focus on mixed use spaces in which businesses can operate and people can live in. Within this, outdoor spaces and public spaces will be enhanced to showcase the green city. This will enable people to access work, services, restaurants and outdoor opportunities with minimal need to travel outside of the city centre.

Included in the website are further details of forthcoming phases including “The Chapel” live music venue, Wellington Works and The Combhouse as part of Phase 3 (formerly Block H of the plan) and Pound’s Park, Carlisle House and Stirrings Place which will constitute Phase 4 (was Block G of the plan).

With an office at The Workstation we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

New lease of life for Sheffield’s historic Gaumont Building

29th November 202220th October 2020 by Gary Stringer

As Sheffield City Council press ahead with plans to improve the city centre, an application has been sought to improve the Gaumont building, situated in Barkers Pool. The site was promoted by the Council earlier this year and local developers Hallam Land Management have proposed a new look for the central landmark.

The Gaumont building formerly operated as a theatre dating back to 1927 when it was known as Regent Theatre, which was latterly rebranded the Gaumont Theatre. The theatre was demolished in 1985 and rebuilt for retail, offices and an Odeon Cinema across 4 storeys. In 1994, the cinema was replaced by a nightclub and has been home to ‘Embrace’ and ‘Area’. Currently, the site has retail and café functions on the ground floor level, home to well known chain ‘Patisserie Valerie’ and homewares store ‘Stone The Crows’ amongst others.

The site is centrally located in Barkers Pool overlooking the public square which is shared by John Lewis & Partners and the City Hall and is in close proximity to the Town Hall and the Peace Gardens, situated to the east of this site. The Gaumont building forms one of the principle walking routes into the central shopping area from the University of Sheffield and is well connected to Fargate shopping high street and the recently regenerated Moor shopping area.

The site was included in the Council’s plans to regenerate the centre into ‘Sevenstone Retail Quarter’ in 2005, including Pinstone Street and Barkers Pool, and an application was sought to replace the building. Unfortunately, plans halted due to the Financial Crash in 2008 and plans were resubmitted in 2011 and 2015 but were withdrawn.

After the successful regeneration of the Moor area, the recent application for the Gaumont building appears promising for redevelopment. The new proposal intends to retain the internal structure of the building but alter the exterior to modernise the façade with a larger public entrance into leisure space to improve the accessibility of the building at street level and make the building more useable.

The plans include ground floor retail uses and leisure spaces. The upper floors will be designed as flexible spaces that can accommodate a wide range of uses to ensure the Gaumont building is adaptable for the future. The design has made use of recesses which has been inspired by the previous appearance of the building as the Regent Cinema alongside living green walls to promote an environmentally sustainable design.

The plans have come forward alongside another application to redevelop the frontages on Pinstone Street and Burgess Street which include mixed uses of a hotel, retail space and restaurants as part of the Heart of the City II Masterplan. If redevelopment commences for the associated plans, the new Gaumont frontage would complement the improved streetscape.

Overall, the application signals redevelopment progress in Sheffield City Centre in a location which has been in the pipeline for some time. As regeneration has already taken place on the Moor, the city centre has become a more pleasant and active place to be. The Gaumont design re-imagines the building to improve the user experience at street level, making Barkers Pool a more interactive and contemporary space. The proposition for adaptable internal space acknowledges the uncertainty generated by reduced city centre footfall as the popularity of online shopping and banking has reduced the demand for high street units, suggesting that the Gaumont building might welcome more varied uses in the future. This suggests that the proposal could be more sustainable in the long-term in providing vitality in the city centre and preventing vacant units, especially as reforms to permitted development legislation is expanding the uses available through conversion.

We have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Main Image: An artist’s impression of the new design for the Gaumont Building – Sheffield City Council.

Towering ambition for Sheffield city centre

30th November 202222nd September 2020 by Gary Stringer

Sheffield City Council continue to demonstrate ambition for Sheffield city centre, having granted planning permission for a mixed use development (application ref. number 18/00858/FUL) which involves the creation of student accommodation comprising 330 bed spaces, and the retention of existing retail space on the first two floors of a tower block located at 50 High Street.

The site is centrally located on the main High Street in the retail heart of the city. It is bounded to the North by the High Street, to the east by Arundel Gate, and to the west by Mulberry Street/Path. The building is joined to the south by Mulberry House. The location of the building at the junction between High Street and Arundel Gate is significant because it stands at the entrance to the City Centre Conservation Area, one of 38 within Sheffield.

This is a large building that was historically used as a department store until the last occupier (TJ Hughes) vacated the site in 2013. Presently, the building has 6 floors (excluding basement). The lower two levels are currently occupied by retail shops – British Heart Foundation, Poundland and Sports Direct. The upper four levels of the building and one small retail unit fronting Arundel Gate at the southern end of the building remain vacant.

It was established that structurally the building could accommodate an additional two storeys of accommodation and this was deemed appropriate by the planners. The proposal will retain the building’s retail offering at the lower and upper ground floor levels and the creation of 330 student bedrooms across the remaining 5 floors.

The proposals will bring the entire building back into use and refurbish its elevations, enhancing its use and appearance as well as improving activity / vibrancy in this part of the city – all of which will have a positive impact on the building, High Street and the wider City Centre.

The site is highly sustainable, especially for a student development. Sheffield Hallam University is very close to the site with campus buildings situated immediately opposite the site and the main City Centre Campus just 200m to the south. The University of Sheffield is slightly further away but still close and easily accessible by excellent public transport facilities (bus and tram) that are located immediately outside the building on High Street, Castle Square and Arundel Gate.

Overall, the proposed scheme will secure the future of existing vacant floors of an underused building in the City Centre, which is considered to be a good location for a student focused development; it is a highly sustainable location with very good transport and walking access to both of Sheffield’s Universities. It was therefore concluded that the benefits of regenerating the site and giving it new life will have a positive effect on the area.

Based at Park Hill, we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Harry Capstick, Graduate Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

The Sheffield Plan – Our City, Our Future: Consultation begins September

30th November 202218th August 2020 by Gary Stringer

Sheffield City Council are preparing a new draft Sheffield Local Plan which will guide the future of the city by setting out how and where development will take place up to 2038. It will be called the ‘Sheffield Plan’ and, once it has been adopted, it will replace the Sheffield Core Strategy (2009) and ‘saved’ policies the Sheffield Unitary Development Plan (1998).

From 1 September 2020 Sheffield City Council will hold a 6-week consultation, which aims to gather views on what people would like to be included in the emerging Plan.

The document open for consultation involves The Issues and Options 2020 document, which outlines the key opportunities and challenges for the city, and sets out some issues and options for consideration.

The Council published a similar document in 2015 titled Citywide Options for Growth to 2034. This consultation document was the start of creating the new Sheffield Plan, and the representations made have formed this new Issues and Options Paper.

The 2015 document highlighted one of the biggest challenges Sheffield faces which is how to accommodate around 40,000 new homes over the next 20 years to cater for Sheffield’s growing population, coupled with creating a skilled workforce with higher overall incomes, by allocating 140 hectares of land for employment uses.

This new document updates the challenges and opportunities facing the city, and it expands on the previous consultation in 2015 where people raised concerns around the development of housing on Green Belt land. Careful consideration has been given to this feedback, and the new proposals sets out a fresh approach for how and where future development could take place in Sheffield.

The Council are seeking representations from anyone who lives, works, has business in, or visits Sheffield such as residents, businesses, community groups, developers, and statutory bodies about what the Sheffield Plan should address.

This consultation aims to overcome potential challenges, and shape the population of Sheffield’s vision and aims.

In preparation for the consultation, and to give people time to find out more about the aims of the Plan and the choices available for Sheffield, the ‘Issues and Options’ document has been issued ahead of the start of the consultation. This will give you the opportunity to read it, talk to others and consider your views before the actual consultation starts on 1st September. You can make your formal comments from then until October 13th which means the consultation doesn’t coincide with the easing of lock down and the summer holidays.

With an office at The Workstation we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients in the region. Our office is led by Chartered Town Planning consultant Michael Bamford please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.

Delayed and dismantled – Sheffield Shipping Containers run aground

Planning permission for new Sheffield apartments

Two Years of success in the Steel City

The new £40m Sheffield skyscraper ‘The Meridian’

Prestigious new hotel checks into Sheffield’s City Centre

Sheffield 2021 and beyond – Post Covid developments

New website showcases ‘the heart’ of Sheffield City Centre

New lease of life for Sheffield’s historic Gaumont Building

Towering ambition for Sheffield city centre

The Sheffield Plan – Our City, Our Future: Consultation begins September

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